Why did you decide to study a Master of Teaching and Learning?
I鈥檓 really passionate about working with young people. I was working as a drama teacher at an after school programme and as a matron at a boarding house, and I loved being able to speak to these teenagers and be an influence in their lives. I decided to go back for my master鈥檚 in education because I realised that teaching is an area where I can make a big difference in helping young people thrive.
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What motivates you?
I think it鈥檚 important to have awesome, safe, and enthusiastic teachers in our classrooms to ensure that future generations feel confident to go out and thrive. I want to teach social studies and history because I want to get my students passionate about our history, and therefore passionate about our future, too.
I believe my purpose is making the world a better place, whether that's through finding untold stories of the past or being able to speak to and help young people so that they know they can take on the world.
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As a full-time student, what does your week look like?
Placements are a huge part of my programme, so my week looks different depending on where we are in the year. Sometimes I'm at lectures and workshops throughout the week, and other times I'm on placement working in a local school teaching and practicing what I鈥檝e learned. It鈥檚 been so cool to get real world experience and interact with different schools and students around the city.
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Does anything stand out to you about postgrad study at UC?
It鈥檚 very hands-on and engaging. It feels like UC is really preparing us for life after study, making sure that we have opportunities and that we're equipped to go out and achieve our goals. I'm going to leave here feeling very qualified and able to take on what life has to offer.
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What do you like most about your programme?
The best part of my study is the people around me. Teaching can be听challenging, and it's really wonderful to have an amazing community of听people that have my back and who I can talk to, who will both celebrate my wins and mourn my losses with me.
The lecturers are also amazing. They鈥檙e so knowledgeable and experienced, but they鈥檙e also really funny and there to support and calm me if I start to feel overwhelmed.
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Have you had any standout experiences so far?
At the beginning of the year, we all went on a noho marae. It was a wonderful experience that forced us all out of our comfort zones and it really surprised me how much it helped me connect with my colleagues and form friendships that have carried through the year.
It was an amazing opportunity to see that despite all our differences, we all have one goal 鈥 to help the rangatahi of New Zealand. I'm very excited to bring that experience and learnings from it into the classroom to teach my students.
How did you feel about returning to study after being in the workforce?
I was really nervous about coming back, but the student advisors helped me understand what I was in for so I felt prepared. I also worried that I was going to feel old, but there鈥檚 such an awesome community of postgrads from all ages and all walks of life that I felt welcomed right away. The first day I walked back onto campus, it just felt like coming back home.
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Do you have any advice for others who may be considering postgrad study?
I think everyone's pretty nervous before they come back, particularly when you're changing careers, but it is such a welcoming environment that you鈥檒l feel like you found a new family. There are really wonderful opportunities here. One piece of advice my lecturers gave that I found very helpful was not to procrastinate when you鈥檙e given an assignment. Get going early, and don鈥檛 put it off until the last minute.
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How do you feel you've grown as a person between your undergrad and postgrad?
I am a lot happier and confident now than I was at 21. I know who I am, I know what my purpose is, I know what I want to do, and I'm excited about doing it.
More student stories
See other postgraduate study experiences from UC students.
